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Jerry Palm

Projecting the Field: Preseason edition

By | Special to CBSSports.com

Parrish's projections: Kansas and Kentucky

Preseason Projections

Like with most preseason brackets, you can expect a lot of changes between now and March. But here is something to get you ready for the season: There is no doubt that I took a few fliers in here. What fun is a preseason bracket without those.

The overall No. 1 seed in this bracket is Kansas. That isn't one of the fliers. Michigan St, the No. 2 overall seed, is bracketed with the play-in game because it is the highest seed playing on a Friday.

Looks like the Pac 10 may suffer a similar fate as the SEC did last year. I only have three Pac 10 teams in this bracket, although they are higher seeded than the SEC teams from last year.

The SEC should rebound and have a much better year with all the young talent returning, along with John Calipari's apparent instantaneous rebuilding of Kentucky.

The Seeds

Midwest
1
16
Kansas
UC Santa Barbara
Oklahoma City
March 19, 21
St. Louis
March 27, 29
8
9
Vanderbilt
Clemson
5
12
California
San Diego State
San Jose
March 19, 21
4
13
Connecticut
Cornell
6
11
Louisville
Xavier
New Orleans
March 19, 21
3
14
Mississippi State
Jacksonville
7
10
Kansas State
Florida State
Milwaukee
March 20, 22
2
15
Purdue
Oakland
East
Syracuse
March 26, 28
Milwaukee
March 20, 22
Michigan State
Texas A&M CC/
Jackson State
1
16
Wake Forest
Siena
8
9
San Jose
March 19, 21
Dayton
Pittsburgh
5
12
Oklahoma
Western Kentucky
4
13
Buffalo
March 20, 22
Northern Iowa
Memphis
6
11
West Virginia
Boston U
3
14
Jacksonville
March 20, 22
South Carolina
Oklahoma State
7
10
Duke
Wofford
2
15
 
West
1
16
North Carolina
Mt St. Mary's
Jacksonville
March 20, 22
Salt Lake City
March 26, 28
8
9
Gonzaga
Syracuse
5
12
Ohio State
Baylor
Spokane
March 20, 22
4
13
Washington
Weber State
6
11
Illinois
BYU
Providence
March 19, 21
3
14
Georgetown
Akron
7
10
Tulsa
Maryland
Buffalo
March 20, 22
2
15
Kentucky
Radford
South
Houston
March 27, 29
Providence
March 19, 21
Villanova
Morgan State
1
16
UCLA
Mississippi
8
9
Spokane
March 20, 22
Michigan
Missouri
5
12
Butler
Utah State
4
13
New Orleans
March 19, 21
Cincinnati
Old Dominion
6
11
Tennessee
Morehead State
3
14
Oklahoma City
March 19, 21
Georgia Tech
Minnesota
7
10
Texas
Holy Cross
2
15

Last four in: Baylor, Pitt, San Diego St, Xavier
Last four out: Arizona, Northwestern, Richmond, Virginia Tech

Quick Breakdown

Conference Bids Conference Bids Conference Bids Conference Bids
ACC 7 Big 12 7 MEAC 1 Southern 1
America East 1 Big West 1 Missouri Valley 1 Southland 1
Atlantic Sun 1 Colonial 1 Mountain West 2 Summit 1
Atlantic 10 2 C-USA 2 Northeast 1 Sun Belt 1
Big East 8 Horizon 1 Ohio Valley 1 SWAC 1
Big Sky 1 Ivy 1 Pac-10 3 WAC 1
Big South 1 MAAC 1 Patriot 1 West Coast 1
Big Ten 6 MAC 1 SEC 6   1

Detailed Breakdown

ACC (7)
Projected champ: North Carolina
At-large: Clemson, Duke, Florida St, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Wake Forest
On the fence: Virginia Tech
 
AMERICA EAST (1)
Projected champ: Boston U
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
ATLANTIC 10 (2)
Projected champ: Dayton
At-large: Xavier
On the fence: LaSalle, Richmond
 
ATLANTIC SUN (1)
Projected champ: Jacksonville
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
BIG 12 (7)
Projected champ: Kansas
At-large: Baylor, Kansas St, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, Texas
On the fence: Texas A&M
 
BIG EAST (8)
Projected champ: Villanova
At-large: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, West Virginia
On the fence: Notre Dame, Seton Hall
 
BIG SKY (1)
Projected champ: Weber St
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
BIG SOUTH (1)
Projected champ: Radford
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
BIG TEN (6)
Projected champ: Michigan St
At-large: Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio St, Purdue
On the fence: Northwestern, Wisconsin
 
BIG WEST (1)
Projected champ: UC Santa Barbara
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
COLONIAL (1)
Projected champ: Old Dominion
At-large: None
On the fence: VCU
 
CONFERENCE USA (2)
Projected champ: Tulsa
At-large: Memphis
On the fence: None
 
HORIZON (1)
Projected champ: Butler
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
IVY LEAGUE (1)
Projected champ: Cornell
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
MAAC (1)
Projected champ: Siena
At-large: None
On the fence: Niagara
 
MAC (1)
Projected champ: Akron
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
MEAC (1)
Projected champ: Morgan St
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
MISSOURI VALLEY (1)
Projected champ: Northern Iowa
At-large: None
On the fence: Creighton, Illinois St
 
MOUNTAIN WEST (1)
Projected champ: BYU
At-large: San Diego St
On the fence: New Mexico, Utah
 
NORTHEAST (1)
Projected champ: Mt. St. Mary's
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
OHIO VALLEY (1)
Projected champ: Morehead St.
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
PAC-10 (3)
Projected champ: Washington
At-large: Cal, UCLA
On the fence: Arizona, Oregon St
 
PATRIOT LEAGUE (1)
Projected champ: Holy Cross
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
SEC (6)
Projected champ: Kentucky
At-large: Mississippi, Mississippi St, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
On the fence: Arkansas, Florida
 
SOUTHERN (1)
Projected champ: Wofford
At-large: None
On the fence: College of Charleston
 
SOUTHLAND (1)
Projected champ: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
SUMMIT LEAGUE (1)
Projected champ: Oakland
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
SUN BELT (1)
Projected champ: Western Kentucky
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
SWAC (1)
Projected champ: Jackson St
At-large: None
On the fence: None
 
WAC (1)
Projected champ: Utah St
At-large: None
On the fence: Nevada, New Mexico St
 
WEST COAST (1)
Projected champ: Gonzaga
At-large: None
On the fence: Portland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Audio & Video Coverage

California
OREGON STATE vs. CALIFORNIA
February 18, 2012 9:30 PM ET

OREGON STATE vs. CALIFORNIA
February 18, 2012 9:30 PM ET

Cincinnati
Postgame Press Conference: Seton Hall
February 18, 2012 6:00 PM ET

Duke
vs. Duke
February 19, 2012 5:45 PM ET

Georgetown
at Providence
February 18, 2012 6:30 PM ET

vs. Georgetown
February 18, 2012 6:30 PM ET

Kansas
TEXAS TECH vs. KANSAS
February 18, 2012 7:30 PM ET

TEXAS TECH vs. KANSAS
February 18, 2012 6:30 PM ET

Kentucky
Ole Miss: Post Game Press Conference
February 18, 2012 6:00 PM ET

Michigan
vs. Ohio State
February 18, 2012 8:30 PM ET

at Michigan
February 18, 2012 8:30 PM ET

Michigan State
vs. Michigan State
February 19, 2012 12:30 PM ET

Minnesota
vs. Minnesota
February 18, 2012 6:45 PM ET

Villanova
Notre Dame: Postgame Press Conference
February 18, 2012 11:00 PM ET

Purdue
vs. Michigan State Postgame Presser
February 19, 2012 3:00 AM ET